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June 2013

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) were recognized as the 2012-2013 St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) Outstanding Business Partners of the Year at the 26th annual Commissioner’s Business Recognition Awards (CBRA) held on Thursday, June 13 in Tampa. The event was produced by the Florida Department of Education in association with the Florida Education Foundation and highlighted the contributions of honorees chosen from each school district throughout the state.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are strongly committed to the SJCSD through various activities and financial support. Earlier this year, the Jaguars provided on-field game day recognition to more than 70 Pursuing Victory with Honor (PVWH) high school athletes and featured the Creekside High School Marching Band during halftime. As a presenting sponsor of the American Youth Character Awards, the Jaguars participated in the banquet and presented the PVWH finalists and winner with scholarships as part of their $25,000 donation to the district. Additionally, they have supported the district’s career academies through internships, teacher externships, sponsorships and scholarships. The Jaguars have implemented honor roll programs, NFL Play 60 grants, discount tickets and ticket donations as well as player and cheerleader appearances throughout the SJCSD.

The SJCSD and the GTMNERR partnership was created through the Academy of Coastal and Water Resources at St. Johns Technical High School (SJTHS). Hands-on field trips allow academy students to study the estuary and learn the value of protecting and conserving natural resources. Students have also participated in an oyster reef restoration and three schools are collecting Spartina Grass seeds and cultivating the seedlings into plugs to restore vegetation. This summer, students will participate in a sea level rise activity to create awareness of the effects of climate change and planning for sea level rise. Additionally, SJTHS carpentry students constructed an overlook at GTMNERR for use in the city of St. Augustine’s 450th Celebration. GTMNERR staff also provided students with certification training in the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) for the protection of water, as well as for the proper use of fertilizers and pesticides as landscape professionals.

CBRA celebrates innovative partnerships between the business community and local school districts for the benefit of students. Businesses were recognized with a reception at the Grand Hyatt Hotel where they were photographed with the Commissioner of Education and received an engraved trophy.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and GTMNERR will be recognized at the School Board Meeting on July 11.

The St. Johns County School District will implement operational strategies to save money during the upcoming summer months. These strategies helped produce an energy savings of more than $1,000,000 during the summer of 2012.

By restricting building operations in all district facilities during the summer, energy consumption at each site can be reduced. This will require centralization of summer activities in buildings where the lowest energy consumption will occur.

Beginning on Monday, June 10, the district will operate on a four-day workweek, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, closed on Fridays. All facilities will function in an energy conservation mode Friday through Sunday. Summer activities will be designed within the Monday-Thursday workweek and will be completed by August 1. The district will return to the normal five-day workweek beginning on Monday, August 5.

All schools and district offices will be closed during the week of July 1-4 and will reopen on Monday, July 8.

Beginning on Monday, June 17, the district will operate from six high schools and one middle school serving as regional centers. St. Johns Technical High School will remain in its permanent location due to scheduled summer programs. All other facilities will function in an energy conservation mode. Maintenance managers and custodial staff will work at the schools in their region on a rotating basis.

Each regional high school will serve as the operations center for the schools that have been assigned to that site. School administrative teams will work in designated areas of each high school. Summer academic programs, camps and extended school year services will be planned, developed and communicated by each school and will operate at the regional high school sites. Staff will return to their regular sites on Monday, July 30.

Scores for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) were received today and St. Johns County students continue to excel. On the Sunshine State Standards (SSS), which are required skills for graduation, St. Johns County students scored extremely well in reading, math, science and End-of-Course (EOC) assessments among all 67 Florida school districts.

FCAT Science was given to students in fifth and eighth grades. St. Johns County fifth graders and eighth graders ranked first in the state.

The FCAT, which assesses reading (third through 10th grades), math (third through eighth grades) and science (fifth and eighth grades) skills, was given in April to students throughout the state. Achievement levels range from one to five, with Level 3 being considered proficient. The test is part of a statewide effort to increase student performance and school accountability.

“I am extremely proud of the efforts of our teachers, students and curriculum staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner. “Once again our students scored well above the state average in every assessment.”

St. Johns County students ranked first in EOC assessments for Algebra 1, Geometry and Biology 1. Students also ranked first in the baseline year for the U.S. History EOC assessment.